Broccoli, a member of the cabbage family, is a very versatile veggie. Broccoli can be juiced, eaten raw, steamed, roasted and it’s always delicious and filling!
Broccoli’s deep green color comes from cartenoids, these phytochemicals can reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and enhance our immune system. One cup of this awesome veggie contains all of your daily recommended Vitamin C, and nearly 100% of daily Vitamin K, which is important for healthy blood, as well. It’s also a great source of soluble and insoluble fiber both of which our bodies need. Soluble fiber, which broccoli is packed with, even helps lower cholesterol levels in the body. Broccoli is also a good source of antioxidants, which help decrease free radicals (free radical damage is associated with cancer and heart disease) in the body. Added bonus: Each 1 cup serving also contains 3 grams of protein which is not too shabby for this power house veggie’s already impressive resume!
Now that we know how good it is for us we can now get into how delicious it can be. There are so many ways to prepare and enjoy this veggie so I’m going to cover a few of my favorites. Raw broccoli with some of your favorite salad dressing is always an easy and delicious option. Steamed broccoli is a simple way to prep a lot at once, also if the crunch and texture of raw broccoli is too much for you, steamed will be better suited to your tastes. There are even shredded salad mixes containing broccoli at grocery stores so you can even make a broccoli salad. And my absolute favorite way to enjoy broccoli is Roasted! If you aren’t a fan of the taste of broccoli I’m going to assume you haven’t tried it roasted! Roasting broccoli brings out an awesome flavor, it doesn’t get soft like steamed broccoli, and the charred edges are so good!
Here’s a super easy recipe for Roasted Broccoli:
- Wash and Chop Broccoli
- Toss Broccoli in Oil (refined avocado is best for high temps)
- Place on baking sheet and add Salt and chopped Garlic (in a pinch dried is fine)
- Roast at 400°-425° for 10-15 minutes, toss halfway if possible, optional add some fresh lemon juice and/or zest
Enjoy your Broccoli!
Also, if your reading this in the month of June, we still have 4 openings for our Fitness Jump Start Program!
This Fitness Jump Start Program is a fantastic opportunity for people that have never been into our facility before. It allows you a chance to try out everything we have to offer and see if its a good fit without a huge financial commitment.
You get 8 personal training sessions, unlimited group classes, yoga, and an in depth movement assessment for only $200! Contact as at [email protected] and reserve yours today!